Tractor Rear Weight and Hitch Assembly

This invention relates to tractors having a rear hitch assembly and, more suitably to industrial tractors wherein the invention provides a means for providing a rear weight assembly and three-point hitch assembly.

Tractors are customarily provided with means of attaching a variety of implements, such as, loader buckets, scarafiers, scrapers, etc. The attachment of various implements to the tractor alters the stability, traction and steering characteristics of the tractor. For example, the rear of the tractor may include a three-point hitch attaching a scaraifier. Ground engagement of the scarafier transfers some of the scarafier weight from the rear axle to the ground causing the rear wheels to lose traction. It is common practice to provide the tractor with attachment means for mounting front weights and rear wheel weights to provide tractor ballast. It is also customary to partially fill the rear tires with fluid in addition to or in place of rear wheel weights for rear tractor ballast.

The tractor rear axle can become overloaded, however, for example, when the rear portion of the tractor supports a hitch assembly, an implement, such as a backhoe loader, and when rear ballast is provided. The overloading is particularly undesirable during transport.

It is an objective of the present invention to present a weight support assembly for mounting to the rearwardmost frame portion of a tractor. The weight support assembly will receive and secure therein a most suitable number of weights in vertically stacked orientation rearward of the rear axle of the vehicle and generally inward of the rear frame portion so as to provide minimum interference with implement attachment. By so locating the weights within the support assembly, the effective ballast to the rear wheels of the vehicle is increased over comparable ballasting achieved by using wheel weights or fluid ballast of the rear tires.

It is a further object of the present invention to present a weight support assembly whereby individual weight members can be added or removed from the weight support assembly quickly and easily.

It is a still further objective of the present invention to present a three-point hitch arrangement on the weight support assembly for attaching implements to the vehicle without requiring removal of the weights or the weight support assembly by locating the weight support assembly relative to the hitch so as not to interfere with hitch operation.

Other benefits of the present invention will be noted or understood to those skilled in the art in the subsequent detailed description.

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a portion of an industrial tractor frame having a weight support and three-point hitch assembly in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a rear elevation view of the weight support and three-point hitch assembly, as taken along the line 2--2 of FIG. 1. For clarity, parts are broken away to show structure not otherwise visible.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the weight support.

FIG. 4 is a top view of a weight suitable for mounting in the weight support assembly.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a support bracket, as taken along the line 5--5 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a rear perspective view of the right rear portion of the weight support and three-point hitch assembly.

Referring to FIG. 1, the invention as illustrated in a preferred embodiment is mounted to an industrial wheel tractor having a frame structure including longitudinally extending frame members 11 in a transverse spaced apart relationship. Fixably mounted by any conventional means to the underside of each frame member 11 in transverse alignment is a mounting member 13. A support arm 15 is pivotally mounted by any conventional means at one end to each mounting member 13. A weight support assembly, generally indicated as 17, more fully described below, is positioned between and vertically suspended from the rearwardmost portions of longitudinal frame members 11 and support arms 15.

Referring more particularly to FIGS. 2 and 3, the weight support assembly 17 includes a U-shaped weight-carrying cradle having transversely spaced sidewalls 19 and 21, and bottom support plate 23. The bottom support plate 23 is fixably mounted by any conventional means such as welding at its sides to sidewalls 19 and 21 such that the sidewalls 19 and 21 are held in generally spaced apart vertical alignment. Located generally along the top portions of sidewalls 19 and 21 are pivot support bracket structures respectively 25 and 27. The bracket structures 25 and 27 are identical in construction. Therefore, for the purpose of brevity, only bracket structure 25 will be described in detail. Bracket structure 25 is comprised of a vertical face plate 28 fixably mounted to sidewall 19 to extend generally transversely outward of the sidewall. A vertical support member 29 is fixably mounted by any conventional means such as welding along the outer edge of face plate 28 in generally parallel and spaced apart relationship to sidewall 19. A second support member 31 is fixably mounted by any conventional means such as welding to face plate 28 inwardly of and generally parallel to support member 29. A lower longitudinal portion 33 of support member 31 is angled inwardly such that a lower edge longitudinally abuts sidewall 19, the lower edge being thereto fixably mounted by any conventional means such as welding.

A plurality of reenforcing plates 35, 37, 39 are fixably mounted to plate 28 and between members 29 and 31. The vertical top portions of support members 29 and 31 includes transversely aligned apertures 41. The rearmost portion of each frame member 11 includes a vertical section 43 which is received between the top portions of support members 29 and 31 of the respective support bracket structures 25 and 27. A pin 45 is journalled through the respective aperture 41 of support member 29, section 43 of frame member 11 and aperture 41 of support member 31. The top portion of the weight support assembly 17 is, thereby pivotally supported transversely on the vehicle frame at the bracket structures 25, 27. The frame section 43 also has mounted thereto a platform 44 used for mounting a section of the vehicle's Roll Over Protection Structure (ROPS).

The support assembly 17 also includes a bracket 47 fixably mounted to the lower portion of each sidewall 19 and 21 by any conventional means such as welding. A respective support arm 15 extending rearwardly from mounting member 13 is pivotally mounted to each bracket 47 by any conventional means such as by a pin 49. The support arms 15 thereby restrain the weight support assembly 17 from pivoting about pin 45.

Referring in addition to FIG. 4, it is observed that the weight support assembly has an open face rearwardly which allows a plurality of weights 51 to be incurred therein in a vertically stacked orientation. The weights 51 in the preferred embodiment have L-shaped recesses 53 on the rearward lateral corners provided to avoid interference with a control cylinder, such as at 52, which may be associated with an implement attached to the rear of the tractor. Further, the weights 51 include arcuated sides 54 to facilitate placement and removal of the individual weights 51 from the weight support assembly 17. In some cases the weights may be placed or removed without disturbing an attachment implement. To provide further clearance to an attached implement, the weight support assembly 17 is supported substantially below the rear portion of the vehicle frame.

The weights 51 are stacked on support plate 23 and secured thereon by a plurality of long stem bolts 55 vertically journalled through the support plate 23 and respective apertures 57 in each weight 51. The bolts 55 are then secured by mating nuts 59. In the preferred embodiment, a tractor draw bar 61 is fixably mounted to and below the support plate 23 by the bolts 55 to extend rearwardly.

In the preferred embodiment, the three-point hitch assembly is mounted to the weight support structure 17 in a generally integrated manner. A transverse channel member 71 is fixably mounted at its ends by any conventional means, such as welding, to respective sidewalls 19 and 21. A bracket 73 is fixably mounted to and extends rearwardly from the back wall of channel member 71 and is adapted to pivotally receive an upper link of an implement three-point hitch. Lower hitch arms 79 are pivotally mounted at their forward ends to the brackets 47 and on the pins 49. The hitch arms 79 include brackets 93 and 95, respectively, near their outer ends. A tilt cylinder 97 is mounted at its ends to bracket 89 fixed on the rear ends of a right-hand lift arm 87, and bracket 93, respectively. A lift link 99 is pivotally mounted to bracket 91 fixed on the rear ends of a left-hand lift arm 87 and bracket 95, respectively. Fixably mounted by any conventional means along each lower hitch arm 79 is a sway pad 101 inwardly abutting a sway plate 103 fixably mounted to respective sidewalls 19 and 21 by any conventional means such as welding. The hydraulic cylinder 52 is anchored at its lower end on pivot pin 102 that extends inwardly from the wall 19. The upper end of cylinder 52 is pivotably connected to the right-hand rock or lift arms 85, 87 by pin 105. The arms 87 on the left- and right-hand sides are pivotally mounted on transverse pivot pins 84, carried in openings 81 provided in ears 86, rigidly projecting upwardly from the support assembly 17. A tube 88 extends through the arms 85, 87 and rigidifies the entire arm structure. Upon extension and retraction of cylinder 52, the arms 85, 87 will be raised and lowered to thereby effect similar action by hitch arms 79. Due to the shape of the weights 51, i.e., their having recesses 53, the cylinders 52 will not contact the weights.